Austereo reviewing processes after prank scandal

Austereo chief executive Rhys Holleran said the royal prank call that has been linked to the death of a nurse was pre-recorded and vetted by lawyers before being broadcast to Sydney listeners.
Photo: AFP

by
Michaela Whitbourn | Ben Woodhead

Southern Cross Austereo has written to the British hospital targeted by a 2Day FM prank call that has been linked to the death of a nurse, saying it is reviewing its processes and will “fully cooperate" with any investigation.

Southern Cross chairman Max Moore-Wilton led a crisis meeting on Sunday afternoon to discuss a stinging letter from the chairman of King Edward VII Hospital, which had been treating Prince William’s pregnant wife Kate.

Nurse Jacintha Saldanha – who transferred a call from radio presenters posing as royals to a colleague, who gave out information about the Duchess of Cambridge’s treatment – apparently took her own life on Friday.

In the reply to Lord Glenarthur, Mr Moore-Wilton wrote he had been “saddened" by the events, describing them as “truly tragic".

He stressed that Southern Cross Austereo, which owns Sydney station 2Day FM, would fully cooperate with any investigation into the incident.

“As we have said in our own statements on the matter, the outcome was unforeseeable and very regrettable," he wrote.

“I can assure you were are taking immediate action and reviewing the broadcast and processes involved ... our company joins with you all at King Edward VII’s Hospital and Mrs Saldanha’s family and friends in mourning their tragic loss."

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On Saturday,
Austereo
chief executive
Rhys Holleran
was forced to defend the network and suspend all advertising on the Sydney radio station as supermarket giant
Coles
and
Telstra
pulled their ads.

The letter from Lord Glenarthur described the call – ostensibly from the Queen, which was taken seriously by hospital staff and later broadcast nationally – as “foolish" and urged Austereo to take steps to ensure such an incident was never repeated. The hospital was treating the Duchess of Cambridge for acute morning sickness.

Austereo’s 2Day FM is facing a mounting backlash over the prank call. A YouTube video, purportedly from hackers group Anonymous and addressed to 2DayFM, was posted online early on Sunday morning.

It features a person obscured by a Guy Fawkes mask demanding that the presenters involved in the stunt, Mel Greig and Michael Christian, be sacked within a week.

The person says in a digitally altered voice: “The world is watching you. You are directly responsible for the death of another human being.

“A respected member of the community who was turned into a joke by your radio station."

The group said the radio station had “placed [its] advertisers at risk", including their databases, websites and online advertising.

“We will not listen to any more excuses," the person says. “You have a funeral to pay for."

Ms Greig and Mr Christian have already been taken off air after their prank call.

Advertising on 2DayFM has been suspended indefinitely.

UK TABLOIDS POUNCE ON BURGEONING SCANDAL

“We understand Australians are clearly angry and upset by what appear to be tragic consequences of the 2Day FM UK hospital prank," Coles said on its Facebook page. “We have instructed 2Day FM to remove all Coles group advertising from the station."

ACMA chairman Chris Chapman issued a statement saying the authority wouldn’t make any comments at this stage but would be engaging with the licensee, 2Day FM, over the facts and issues surrounding the prank call.

He said the events were a tragedy and passed on his condolences to the nurse’s family.

Prime Minister
Julia Gillard
released a brief statement offering condolences to Ms Saldanha’s family, while federal Communications Minister
Stephen Conroy
said it was up to ACMA to determine whether 2Day FM had breached the commercial radio code of practice. with AAP